Need advice for a huge problem
10-07-2003, 02:22 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,575
Need advice for a huge problem
Yesterday my AC in my max went out. I took it to the dealership today to get it checked and they said the people who put my stereo or alarm in (they were installed by 2 different places) cut a wiring harness or something instead of plugging it in to the stock one. Long story short, my electrical system is screwed up and needs to be replaced. Cost for main wiring harness (or whatever) is $1219 and the other I need is $700 plus all the labor. AND if it breaks again it won't be under warranty b/c of my aftermarket stereo system. So, I'd have to go back to Bose, costing more $$$$!!
The stereo installers (Car Toys) are sending someone out to the dealership to look at it. The Car Toys manager said it has to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that they caused it in order for them to be responsible.
I'm looking at a $4-5 thousand bill here. What should I do if Car Toys decides they aren't responsible? I don't have the $$ to take them to court. I could get it fixed but I'd be broke. Does it sound like they're responsible? Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Thank you,
Matt
The stereo installers (Car Toys) are sending someone out to the dealership to look at it. The Car Toys manager said it has to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt that they caused it in order for them to be responsible.
I'm looking at a $4-5 thousand bill here. What should I do if Car Toys decides they aren't responsible? I don't have the $$ to take them to court. I could get it fixed but I'd be broke. Does it sound like they're responsible? Any advice would be very much appreciated.
Thank you,
Matt
10-07-2003, 02:42 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 187
You can take them to small claims court for peanuts.
Check and see what your limits are before it exceeds small claims. Here in CO it's like $7500.
Next ID exactly which splice that caused the problem.
Get your dealer to document this in writing.
Show this documentation to the shop you choose to pursue and try to work it out prior to court.
Don't foret to add in a rental car while yours is down in the amount you are looking to receive.
You can add the costs of filing and process serving into your amount to be collected.
Check and see what your limits are before it exceeds small claims. Here in CO it's like $7500.
Next ID exactly which splice that caused the problem.
Get your dealer to document this in writing.
Show this documentation to the shop you choose to pursue and try to work it out prior to court.
Don't foret to add in a rental car while yours is down in the amount you are looking to receive.
You can add the costs of filing and process serving into your amount to be collected.
10-07-2003, 03:01 PM
#3
sounds to me like your car needs to be stolen from the dealership! j/k sue em' all. anyone who workend in that area of your car, but do it @ different times so they are unaware of the other who may also be at fault.
10-07-2003, 03:53 PM
#4
A/C goes out and now you need to replace the entire harness? WTF?!?!?
Sounds like a BIG LOAD of BS to me. Try another dealer!!! Or at least have an independent mechanic or electrical handy friend poke around at it.
Seriously, unless the thing caught FIRE and melted all the way from the ECU to the engine, it CAN be repaired. Got pics?
[edit]
Are you anywhere near South Point Nissan?
[/edit]
Sounds like a BIG LOAD of BS to me. Try another dealer!!! Or at least have an independent mechanic or electrical handy friend poke around at it.
Seriously, unless the thing caught FIRE and melted all the way from the ECU to the engine, it CAN be repaired. Got pics?
[edit]
Are you anywhere near South Point Nissan?
[/edit]
10-07-2003, 11:12 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 956
If it smells like BS, sounds like BS and is coming from a nissan service center, it's probably BS.
For a wiring harness, no way. Sounds more like the cost of a new ECU from the dealer. In which case the car wouldn't drive
Ask the service center, to detail exactly what is broken and research the cost with DaveB and $700 labor sounds like they need to dissassemble the entire freakin dash which makes no sense, unless the wires are burned and they have to run entirely new ones.
Does the dash light up and everything else work? If so then it sounds like the AC unit maybe shot. Check with Dave B how much those cost.
It's time for you to let all of them know you will sue whoever is responsible but this shouldn't come out of your pocket.
Just let em know you are surgical at sniffing out BS.
SHIFT_woosh
For a wiring harness, no way. Sounds more like the cost of a new ECU from the dealer. In which case the car wouldn't drive
Ask the service center, to detail exactly what is broken and research the cost with DaveB and $700 labor sounds like they need to dissassemble the entire freakin dash which makes no sense, unless the wires are burned and they have to run entirely new ones.
Does the dash light up and everything else work? If so then it sounds like the AC unit maybe shot. Check with Dave B how much those cost.
It's time for you to let all of them know you will sue whoever is responsible but this shouldn't come out of your pocket.
Just let em know you are surgical at sniffing out BS.
SHIFT_woosh
10-08-2003, 05:02 AM
#6
It's chrome alright...
Join Date: Dec 2001
Posts: 4,009
Filing small claims, $25 (usually)
Limit $5,000 - $7,500 (usually)
Having the papers delivered and all the sudden the shop owns up and fixes it before court, priceless.
Of course get all the paperwork first (good advice above), get your proof, and let the shop know you're going to sue them because they did it (if they did) and give them a deadline to reply. If no reply, file the papers. You'd be surprised how quickly they own up when served with papers.
And if they don't own up, MAKE SURE you really have a case and go to court. In general, small claims is more about common sense than 'strict law' so if your story makes sense, you should win.
Limit $5,000 - $7,500 (usually)
Having the papers delivered and all the sudden the shop owns up and fixes it before court, priceless.
Of course get all the paperwork first (good advice above), get your proof, and let the shop know you're going to sue them because they did it (if they did) and give them a deadline to reply. If no reply, file the papers. You'd be surprised how quickly they own up when served with papers.
And if they don't own up, MAKE SURE you really have a case and go to court. In general, small claims is more about common sense than 'strict law' so if your story makes sense, you should win.
10-08-2003, 09:44 AM
#7
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,575
Thanks to everyone for the help. I talked to another electrician and he said it sounded like BS too. I determined that the stereo did not cause any problems. The alarm installers are going to the dealership to take a look. I also told the alarm installer to look out for anything that might show that the dealership is charging me way to much for fixing my AC (in case all that work isn't necessary).
10-08-2003, 09:07 PM
#8
Wild at Hurt
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 580
Mattattax,
What a horrible thing.
I work on multimillion dollar printing presses which have a lot more wiring than a car. My experiance is that all wiring harnesses can be fixed, even those that have burnt wires (ribbon cables you cant). Trouble with a car though is some of this stuff is damn hard to get to.
These guys have posted some great legal advice. My lawyer (friend of the family) has said that the victim usually does real well in small claims court. best of luck to ya.
What a horrible thing.
I work on multimillion dollar printing presses which have a lot more wiring than a car. My experiance is that all wiring harnesses can be fixed, even those that have burnt wires (ribbon cables you cant). Trouble with a car though is some of this stuff is damn hard to get to.
These guys have posted some great legal advice. My lawyer (friend of the family) has said that the victim usually does real well in small claims court. best of luck to ya.
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